We want to get better: McVeigh

Sydney Swans co-captain Jarrad McVeigh faces the media with new signing Kurt Tippett. Picture: Phil Hillyard. Source: The Daily Telegraph

SYDNEY co-captain Jarrad McVeigh was quick to make a fuss over Kurt Tippett as the club assessed the signing of the former Crow ahead of his first training session with his new club yesterday.

When addressing the signing, the Swan's key message was improvement.

"We want to improve as a group," McVeigh said.

"Just because we won the premiership doesn't mean we don't want to get better.

"We see Kurt as a long-term player and we're rapt to have him at the club.

"After a hectic couple of months, we can get out there today and get back to what back to what he knows best and that's playing footy.

"It's an exciting time for the club. We do want to improve as a group and to get a player of Kurt's calibre - we need to boost our big guys department, in the forward line and ruck.

"We see Kurt as a one of those players and a long-term player for us.

"We know the way he plays, we know he trains hard and works hard and we expect that from him.

"He'll earn the players' trust the way he goes about it over the next few months and hopefully when he can get out on the park he'll have the players' trust and we can get on with it."

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Open up on AFL drug use: Crosisca

Former Collingwood footballer Gavin Crosisca is urging the AFL to change its policy on drug use. Picture: Ian Currie. Source: Herald Sun

REFORMED drug addict Gavin Crosisca has urged the AFL to revamp its illicit drugs policy, warning players are no longer afraid of the penalties.

Crosisca is determined to help the fight against drugs.

The former Collingwood player, who has been clean since May 2011, recently confessed he had spent 25 years as a player and coach addicted to amphetamines, cannabis and alcohol.

Crosisca, 44, yesterday volunteered to be involved in the AFL's drugs symposium next month, hopeful the league would assemble a panel of drug and alcohol experts and throw the forum open to the public.

The 1990 premiership player said if the AFL stuck with a three-strikes drugs policy, there must be greater disincentives for first and second strikes and fewer loopholes.

Crosisca, an assistant coach at Carlton as recently as 2008, is concerned that players can dodge strikes by repeatedly self-reporting drug use, and avoid tests while receiving counselling for a second strike.

My addiction was hidden ... if someone had confronted me it would have brought the issue to attention more quickly

"The AFL have been doing the best they can, but this is a great opportunity to bring this into the public forum, and do more," he told the Herald Sun.

"I have had a good look at the AFL's illicit drugs policy and it's about five years old and there is a real opportunity for them to revamp that.

"My addiction was hidden. Looking back, if someone had confronted me it would have brought the issue to attention more quickly. After your first strike someone needs to be told, not just AFL club medicos and the club doctor.

"Kids need help straight away, even if it's a one-off.

"The reason why players aren't afraid of it is there are no consequences.

"They aren't strong enough for them to be fearful of it.

"For a second strike you get a $5000 fine and a suspended six-match sentence and your club chief executive finds out.

"But without your coach knowing, or at least your welfare officer or chaplin, we are just hoping."

Players cannot play while receiving counselling after a second strike, but Crosisca said only a freak occurrence, such as Hawthorn's Travis Tuck being caught by police with drugs, would lead to three strikes.

Crosisca, who regularly attends Narcotics Anonymous meetings, has had extensive discussions with people in the drug and alcohol fields about the AFL's issues.

"I would be the first to put my hand up and would love to be involved in some way in the (symposium)," he said.

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Drug test wake-up call for Pies

Collingwood onballer Dayne Beams - one of the players woken by an early morning drug test in Utah. Picture: Wayne Ludbey. Source: The Advertiser

COLLINGWOOD'S overseas pre-season camp has been interrupted by an early morning drugs test.

The Pies were woken at 6.30am yesterday in Utah's Park City for surprise blood and urine testing.

A group of players, including Harry O'Brien, Dane Swan, Scott Pendlebury, Dayne Beams and Darren Jolly, were all made to undergo tests in the team hotel before sunrise.

The rude awakening - ironically on a designated "sleep-in" day - caused a flurry of Twitter activity.

O'Brien tweeted: "Nice 6.30am wake up call from the drug testers. @swandane noted: "They aren't the most popular people right now."

Vice-captain Pendlebury said: "630 blood test and drug test isn't ideal on the day u get a sleep in. #bigfan".

It caused coach Nathan Buckley to chime in with: "That's life as a professional H #smallpricetopay".

Collingwood players were tested on at least one earlier trip to Arizona and drug testers showing up at clubs' pre-season camps isn't unusual.

The tests come ahead of an AFL-agreed drugs symposium after calls for action by Collingwood chief executive Gary Pert.

Pert last month raised serious concerns about a growing illegal drug culture in football.

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Kurt must earn Swans' respect

Kurt Tippett prepares for his first training sessions with the Sydney Swans. Picture: Matt King. Source: Getty Images

KURT Tippett can't relax just yet.

After an incredibly turbulent off-season, the 25-year-old power forward must now overcome another major hurdle before he can settle into his new Sydney home - earning the respect and trust of the most fiercely loyal playing group in the AFL.

Tippett officially became a Swan yesterday after wearing Swans colours and training with teammates for the first time. But he is not one of the boys, yet.

Swans co-captain Jarrad McVeigh said yesterday Tippett still has to prove himself.

"We've got a set of behaviours that we like to live by and we'll go through all that kind of stuff over the next few months," McVeigh said.

"All the boys that come through, you want to earn the respect of your peers and that's what you want out of footy.

"You do that by training hard, doing all the right things and then when game day comes you look after your mate and if Kurt can do that and the other boys can do that they'll get a game."

(Kurt will) earn the players' trust the way he goes about it the next few months

He has not got off to a great start, suspended for the Swans' first 11 matches of the AFL season, including all pre-season matches which will only see him available to debut for the club in round 13 against Port Adelaide on June 22.

Tippett was banned from playing any form of football by the AFL for his involvement in salary cap breaches and draft tampering with former club Adelaide.

However, McVeigh said the club has no trepidation about Tippett's character.

"We see Kurt as a long-term player for us," he said.

"We know the way he plays. We know he trains hard and works hard. We expect that from him. He'll earn the players' trust the way he goes about it the next few months.

"Hopefully, in round 12 or whatever it is that he can get out on the park, he'll have the players trust and we can get on with our business."

Tippett yesterday admitted it has been a difficult few months for him since leaving Adelaide in a messy exit, but vowed to earn the trust of his teammates through determination on the training pitch.

"It's been a long off-season with a few little challenges," he said.

"It's fantastic to be here and meet the players and coaches. I'm looking forward to playing football.

"There was a little bit of time where I guess my future was a little bit unclear, but it's fantastic to be here. I look forward to playing football, settling in, training hard, preparing myself well and earning the guys trust over summer.

"It's been a challenge for myself and my family, but I'm happy to put all that behind me now and I'm really excited to be here in Sydney.

"I've got to come in with a good attitude towards getting better and making sure I'm at my best when I can play."

Tippett has signed only a two-year deal with the club after nominating terms for a two-season deal in the pre-season draft for fear of being plucked by a team he did not want to go to.

However, the Swans will commence talks with Tippett's manager Peter Blucher as early as next month to discuss extending his deal to four years - as the club originally hoped to do.

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Jetta's journey proof of value

Sydney Swans star Lewis Jetta celebrates after the siren in the 2012 AFL grand final. Picture: Phil Hillyard. Source: Herald Sun

INDIGENOUS educator Gerard Neesham says AFL clubs should keep faith with talented Aboriginals, pointing to Sydney star Lewis Jetta as the poster boy for second chances.

The issue of indigenous recruitment has flared again, with a handful of talented players overlooked in recent drafts because of perceived problems with their character.

The Herald Sun revealed yesterday Essendon could not consider Perth teenager Dayle Garlett, because he went on a 4am bender in Perth only three days before the pre-season draft.

Garlett will return to play at WAFL club Swan Districts. That club's football manager, Phil Smart, criticised AFL clubs for being hypocritical.

He attacked AFL multicultural manager Jason Mifsud, saying his club had not received a phone call from the league official for two years, despite Garlett's problems.

Neesham, whose Clontarf Academies have helped 3000 indigenous boys across 54 schools, said AFL clubs should not back off.

"The classic is Lewis Jetta," Neesham said.

"We picked him up and put him in our program when he was turning 16 and he finished year 12 at 19.

"Lewis wasn't even at school . . . he was disconnected from mainstream society and then he came into our program and became a fantastic story."

Smart said Mifsud needed to spend more time at grass-roots level.

"We have had a couple of issues with a couple of boys who were in the AIS and we have had no contact from Mifsud," he said.

"We have had contact from (game development manager) Kevin Sheehan, who has been very helpful, but Mifsud is in charge of indigenous development and we have not had one phone call from him."

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Garlett wrecks chance to be a Bomber

Dayle Garlett, left, in action for WAFL club Swan Districts. Pcture: Kerris Berrington. Source: PerthNow

A LEADERSHIP group decision on Monday night and a 4am bender in Fremantle last weekend combined to dash Perth teenager Dayle Garlett's hopes of being drafted by Essendon.

Garlett trained with the Bombers last week and, while his form did not overwhelm them, they were still considering him until his weekend exploits.

The Bombers were aware Garlett's return to Perth at the weekend would be a test of his dedication.

But Garlett, whose reputation has tarnished his exceptional talent, effectively sealed his fate with his night out on the town.

Essendon's leadership group was consulted and voted against Garlett being given a place on the list.

The Bombers instead selected Gippsland Power midfielder Will Hams after a brilliant 2km time-trial performance and put delisted forward Ariel Steinberg on the rookie list.

Another Perth teenager, Shannon Taylor, impressed Essendon with his character, but because of his fitness he will play for WAFL club Claremont next season in the hope of making the AFL in 2014.

Profiles of every recruit in the Draft Tracker

AFL recruiters across the league are saddened by the lack of progress of a band of junior WA players who seemed likely to set the competition alight until their progress flat-lined in recent seasons.

They include Garlett, Taylor, and Chris Yarran, who was awarded the Kevin Sheehan Medal at the 2010 Under-16 Championships but was not taken in any draft this year.

One AFL recruiting boss yesterday suggested AFL multicultural boss Jason Mifsud catch the first plane to Perth to investigate the continuing problems with indigenous recruitment.

But Mifsud said last week it was untrue to say AFL clubs had gone cold on indigenous talents.

"It is a bit narrow isolating it to indigenous players because I think, equally, there would be other talented players who are being asked to improve their level of dedication and discipline," he told the Herald Sun.

"It is only 20 years ago that AFL lists were made up of one per cent of indigenous players.

"We should not forget we've come a long way in a short period of time."
 

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It's Goodes news week for Brett

Western Bulldogs pick up Brett Goodes, the brother of dual Brownlow Medallist Adam, at the pre-season and rookie draft.

Brett Goodes, brother of superstar Swan Adam Goodes, is now a Bulldog. Picture: Michael Klein. Source: Herald Sun

REMINDED that people love a fairytale, Brett Goodes chuckles. "I suppose that's what some people are calling it," he says.

"Yeah, I suppose that's what some people are calling it," Goodes said yesterday.

The 28-year-old journeyman has copped enough knockbacks and years of being ignored by the top level to know it's much less magical than that.

"You look back at it and a lot of the people you played footy with didn't persevere," Goodes said. "So I suppose it's a great reward for a lot of hard work. I think it can be a bit of a right place, right time industry. I think in this case it's certainly one of those situations."

A dream Goodes had given up on long ago became a reality yesterday when the Western Bulldogs plucked him with its sole pick in the rookie draft.

"I was pretty excited just to tell some family members who know how hard it's been over the years to finally get an opportunity," he said.

A brother of Sydney superstar Adam, Goodes' road to the AFL has been a long one.

He started with North Ballarat Rebels in the TAC Cup, spent a year at Port Adelaide in the SANFL, went to VFL club North Ballarat Roosters, trained with North Melbourne, went back to North Ballarat and travelled to Darwin to work for AFL NT and play at the NT Thunder.

Profiles of every recruit in the Draft Tracker

In a story eerily similar to James Podsiadly at Geelong, Goodes had been employed by the Dogs since last year as their player wellbeing manager while playing VFL with Williamstown.

But that job description started to change on the Dogs' trip to London for last month's exhibition game.

"I had a brief, informal, chat with Macca (coach Brendan McCartney) in London and he just said, 'Have you ever thought about maybe having a run around with us?'," he said.

"I was a little bit shocked but I just thought, 'What do I have to lose?' It was a win-win situation.

"I'm out on the track a bit anyway in my role, and as long as the players and coaches were happy for me to do it, I was happy.

"It all eventuated ... I had a good two weeks and I think they were surprised with how well I was testing and then it all started to become a bit more real."

A running defender with excellent foot skills, Goodes will add aggression to the Dogs' back half after a VFL season in which he won state honours and a place in the team of the year.

He beat former Essendon midfielder Brent Prismall to the rookie spot. It emerged last night Prismall was under consideration for Goodes' player welfare position.

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Finals or bust for the Tigers

Former Demon Ricky Petterd is one of several recycled players snapped up by Richmond. Picture: Michael Klein. Source: Herald Sun

RICHMOND hasn't become the Visy Tigers because it is ready to win a premiership.

It has topped up with enough recycled players to make Jeanne Pratt proud because it can't even beat Gold Coast.

Kurt Tippett might have finally arrived at Sydney yesterday, but the headline act of the pre-season and rookie drafts was still Damien Hardwick's Tigers.

You can't recruit Sam Lonergan, Ricky Petterd and Orren Stephenson without immediately heaping expectation upon the AFL's most persistent underachiever of the past 30 seasons.

Richmond knows it and those Twitter wags yesterday suggesting a Visy sponsorship know it.

In all, Richmond has added six recycled players in the space of one

off-season hit, with Aaron Edwards lured in the trade period and Troy Chaplin and Chris Knights added through free agency.

Not even the reality the six players were effectively taken for the swapped No.74 pick it took to get Edwards will stop some from believing Richmond is getting ahead of itself.

But inside Punt Road this off-season, the reality is very different.

Hardwick was totally aware that as injuries finally hit Richmond in the last half of the 2012 season, they had no one left to turn to.

No back-up for Ivan Maric when his groins started screaming, no

second-forward option when Jack Riewoldt got sore and Tyrone Vickery busted up his shoulders.

Profiles of every recruit in the Draft Tracker

And no midfield depth when Dustin Martin was suspended and Nathan Foley's troublesome achilles flared up again.

It saw the Tigers win just three of the last eight games, unable to beat Gold Coast for a second successive year and only drawing the Round 23 clash against easybeats Port Adelaide.

Petterd and Edwards won't tear a game apart, but they might draw enough attention from Riewoldt to let him explode.

Ditto for Sam Lonergan and Knights in the midfield rotation, who will allow Brett Deledio, Martin and Trent Cotchin to spend more time forward of centre.

So while the recruiting spree will add heat to the Carlton-Richmond Round 1 clash, it is really about ensuring that first finals campaign since 2001, not the Tigers setting their sights on a flag.

If the pre-season draft was a total fizzer yesterday, it doesn't mean there weren't clubs strengthening premiership aspirations.

Collingwood's recruitment of Ben Hudson is inspired. He won't win it the flag through heroics, but he might just keep Darren Jolly fresh enough, or teach Brodie Grundy and Jarrod Witts enough as a ruck coach, to make that critical difference in September.

Sydney's dynamic forward line with Tippett has already been well-documented.

Put simply, they should be the short-priced flag favourites rather than Hawthorn.

Richmond might be the pre-season spruik given yesterday's efforts, but by Round 15, Tippett might already be worth every cent he was paid.

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Tigers primed for top four: King

Former Bomber Sam Lonergan is one of three recycled players picked up by Richmond in the pre-season draft. Picture: Jon Hargest. Source: Herald Sun

RICHMOND should be aiming for a top-four finish after yesterday's dramatic influx of recycled players, former assistant coach David King says.

"They need a slice of luck and they need some midfield players to come along with Trent Cotchin, but they are certainly in very good shape to attack the top four," he said.

"If (Reece) Conca and (Dustin) Martin spike up and become good players the world is their oyster."

Richmond, which has not made the eight since 1991, yesterday rookie-listed former Geelong ruckman Orren Stephenson, ex-Essendon midfielder Sam Lonergan and delisted Melbourne forward Ricky Petterd.

The Tigers also picked up Adelaide half-forward Chris Knights and key defender Troy Chaplin as free agents and swapped pick 74 for North Melbourne forward Aaron Edwards in the trade period.

The club last night warned against outlandish expectations, however.

Head of football Craig Cameron said the Tigers were simply adding experience to a team that was at times close to the youngest in the competition last year.

Profiles of every recruit in the Draft Tracker

"Apart from the expansion sides last year we were either the youngest or second-youngest list, depending on which side we played," he said.

"In the last four years we have been keen to improve our average games of experience and bringing some more mature players in helps.

"We have brought a whole heap of younger players in over the last four years, including four 18-year-olds at the national draft, and one more 18-year-old as a rookie yesterday.

"So we have looked after our future in terms of the national draft and we have taken (experienced players) as rookies."

King believes the club should dare to dream big, given the new acquisitions and Richmond's recent recruiting successes.

"The number one thing is their list has improved and that brings a level of expectation," he said.

"The list rebuild has been done very wisely but with the guys they have got in, if they can get similar output from the fresh faces as they did last year they are every chance to shoot for the top four."

Richmond, which has set as its goal a finals berth next year after 11 consecutive barren Septembers, also took Murray Bushrangers midfielder Cadeyn Williams.

Stephenson has been taken as back-up for first-choice ruckman Ivan Maric but Petterd has been a dangerous forward when injury-free and Lonergan will add midfield depth.

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No concerns on Tippett's concussions

Kurt Tippett is finally a Swan. Picture: Sarah Reed Source: adelaidenow

SYDNEY coach John Longmire says Kurt Tippett's late-season resurgence means the club will enter next season unconcerned over the forward's concussion history.

Tippett's long and tortured journey to the Harbour City was completed yesterday when the Swans secured the former Crow with pick 11 in the pre-season draft.

His 11-match ban for his role in Adelaide's salary cap saga has overshadowed his struggles with several head knocks last season.

But Longmire said doubters only had to look at the Crows' last game of 2012.

"We saw the way he came back. Whilst he took a few weeks to get going, by the end of the year he was in really good form," Longmire said yesterday.

"Anyone who saw that preliminary final (against Hawthorn) last season when he kicked four goals and contributed to a number of others could see the impact (he had) and the condition he was in and we're confident that going forward he'll be a very important, key player for us.'

Despite Tippett's Swans debut unlikely to happen before Round 14, Longmire said the club was excited about the impact he would have in the long-term.

"What he brings ... he's only 25 years of age, a 202cm key position forward who this year had over 70 shots at goal," he said.

"We think he can add some real fire power in our front half and importantly not only do it next year, but the years beyond. We think he's got some good footy ahead of him."

Profiles of every recruit in the Draft Tracker

Greater Western Sydney threw a lifeline to delisted Carlton defender Bret Thornton, a year after doing the same with Thornton's former Blues teammate Setanta O'hAilpin.

Thornton, an 11-year 188-game veteran at Visy Park, was dumped by Carlton at the end of last season. The Giants also re-drafted veteran ruckman Dean Brogan, who was initially delisted to make room for Tippett.

Richmond signalled its intent for finals success next year by bringing in a bevy of recycled talent to Punt Road.

The Tigers yesterday added Ricky Petterd, Orren Stephenson and Sam Lonergan to its list after securing Chris Knights, Troy Chaplin and Aaron Edwards earlier in the off-season.

Collingwood took a chance on twice-retired ruckman Ben Hudson to support veteran Darren Jolly in a move that could prove critical to its premiership chances.

Hudson joins the Pies - where he will also act as ruck coach - after stints at Adelaide, Western Bulldogs and Brisbane.

Hawthorn also opted to boost its ruck stocks by taking Jonathan Ceglar after the delisted Collingwood big man had impressed the Hawks during pre-season training.

"We just felt that we needed more ruck depth and Jonathon fills that," recruiting manager Graham Wright said.

West Coast opted for delisted Demon Jamie Bennell, despite the small forward still recovering from a knee reconstruction.

The Eagles had been interested in Bennell as a teenager before he was drafted by Melbourne in 2008.

"It's great to get another opportunity and I am really looking forward to it," Bennell said.

"I am about five months down the rehabilitation path after a reconstruction on my left knee, and after training on my own it will be good to get into a professional environment."

Among those to miss out on pre-season and rookie selection were talented, but troubled teen Dayle Garlett, Brent Prismall, Cameron Wood and Josh Toy. Delisted Port pair Steven Salopek and Jacob Surjan were also overlooked.

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